Endless Evolution: Last Star

Click.

The engraved lighter opened, letting out a green flame, calm despite the chaos raging around it.

When you were strong, you could make the whole world wait if you needed it for an important moment.

Adam's heart was beating fast. Too much had happened in one minute.

Thirty seconds ago, he absorbed the Twilight Crystal, now he was sitting on the head of a huge snake next to Wilfred, the man he went to the Lower Ring for.

The three Lords who had tried to kill him were already dead. Wilfred, or rather his snake, made their execution something easy and effortless, though another moment and Adam's head would have fallen to the ground.

"Here, this will help you calm down. Just don't fight it." Wilfred lit Adam's cigarette, pulling out a new one for himself.

For a while, all events at the Soaring Chain Islands seemed to stop.

The Lords that surrounded Saegar didn't know what to do. The two Lords trying to contain Kenward were in an even more difficult situation.

None of them expected the Second Rank Phantom to suddenly appear, especially one as strong as Wilfred.

It wasn't just his aura and the fact that he had already killed the three Lords attacking Adam, it was much deeper than that.

"Fuck... Is that him?" one of the Lords muttered in disbelief.

Fear was reflected on the faces of the great monsters. They weren't as terrified in front of Saegar or Kenward as they were at the sight of the Phantom.

"It's Wilfred, Blighted Wanderer!" The man exclaimed with his eyes wide open.

It was hard to tell what the Lords were feeling more, fear or awe, but one thing was certain - they knew who Wilfred was.

Adam blinked several times.

'What? Instead of saying his last name, they said his... title?'

Then, Adam remembered that Kenward mentioned something similar the first time they met. Adam didn't understand how it worked, but he knew that even Phantoms could have titles.

He didn't know under what conditions a Phantom would get a title, but it was clear that it would require remarkable power and a number of frightening accomplishments.

At the same moment, Adam took his first breath as soon as hot smoke came out.

The sensation was not what Adam hoped for, unpleasant to say the least, but he couldn't deny the fact that his heart began to beat a little slower.

Maybe it was a placebo effect, for sure, or maybe Wilfred knew what he was doing.

Tap.

Wilfred stood up, casting his gaze over all the Lords.

His green eyes only stopped on two of them, Saegar and Wilfred. These two he was personally acquainted with.

Then, he put a hand on Adam's shoulder.

"This guy will be out of here soon, and I'm going with him. If you want, you can try to stop me, but..."

His snake spat out clots of ash and a few charred bones.

"In that case, you share the same fate. It is in your best interest to turn this situation into an internal conflict between the Lords rather than a hunt for the young Phantom. For otherwise, I will have to stand up in defense of this boy."

Wilfred was giving the Lords of the Befallen Crown a choice, though there wasn't really one here.

They weren't sure they could win against Saegar and Kenward. If Wilfred, the Second Rank Phantom, also joined them, they would not stand a chance. Moreover, four of them were already dead.

After a few moments, Wilfred nodded deeply.

There was no reaction from the Lords.

"I see." Wilfred waved his hand as his snake came into motion, heading towards the two islands to the side. It curled around the chain, looking at the battlefield above.

The Lords of the Befallen Crown had to make a decision quickly. They had to recognize that Adam absorbed the Twilight Crystal, and because of Wilfred's interference, there was no way they could stop him.

All they had to do was direct all their energies to another target - Saegar.

"Alright! We must destroy the traitor of the Befallen Crown! Everyone, go to battle!" one of the four Ascended Lords exclaimed.

At the same moment, all the Lords switched to Saegar as they jumped aside.

Saegar frowned. He didn't understand what his enemies were doing.

Then, in each Lord's hands appeared massive black nails with the same red symbol familiar to both Saegar and every other Lord.

Saegar's frame shuddered, but it was too late.

In a unified move, the Lords made throws as the nails dug into the ground. Each nail was connected by a thin thread, channeling the Lord's energy to the mysterious artifact.

"Maybe in a 1 vs. 1 battle, none of us can defeat you, Saegar, since you are a True Lord, but you are at a disadvantage and you realized it too late!" The man exclaimed first, directing all his energy towards the nail.

In a heartbeat, the crimson dome covered Saegar as dark chains emerged from the confines, binding his frame.

He tried to resist and dodge, but it was impossible. The combined energy of the nine Lords, two of whom were the Ascended Ones, and the power of the artifact was enough to stop a beast like Saegar.

"NOW! Use everything you have!"

From their last strength, each Lord aimed their Arc at the Saegar, going to tear it apart with a combined attack while he was under the crimson dome.

Kenward watched everything from above. He paid no attention to his enemies, for they had lost all importance.

Now, everything depended not on him or Adam, who was already safe, but on what Saegar would do next.

Multiple attacks of destructive energy came out of the nine Lords, raining down directly on the restrained Saegar.

"Agh..." Kenward sighed heavily. "They think they can defeat real power with borrowed one. What foolishness."

With a deafening rumble, an amber thunderbolt rained down on the crimson dome, illuminating the Soaring Chain Islands with its ancient power.